The Salle, Friday afternoon

[future_sandworm]

Leto would much rather have stayed in his room all day. While Wednesday had been pleasant enough, he didn't appreciate this lack of self-control in himself. Also, Alice hadn't been quite pleased about the radio report on Thursday, and Practical Etiquette class had been rather awkward.

Yes, awkward. And he wasn't referring to being unable to keep his eyes from Miss Bennet's cleavage while she was talking, but the fact that he had kissed a brainwashed girl assassin who had made it clear to him she didn't appreciate to be touched. At least she hadn't made an attempt on his life yet.

So, staying in his room would have been his choice, but he had promised Karla to introduce her to fighting. Perhaps he should have cancelled, he thought as he arrived. Karla was rather jumpy, and a witch possessing powers he wasn't sure of, and he would rather not be turned into something odd.

While waiting for his student, Leto had taken to stabbing a dummy. He rarely did that, but at least he could keep his mind on it.

"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."

The litany went quite well together with mutilating a dummy.

[Leto is here for Karla, but the Salle is open]

Comments

[glacial_queen]

Karla sidled in, dressed in a pair of leggings, and her Kaeleeran swimming top. It was snug and form-fitting, less likely to get in her way, or to give Leto anything to grab onto. "Hi," she said shyly, resolutely not looking anywhere but in his very blue eyes. "We're still on for our bout, right?"

[future_sandworm]

"Karla, hello." He spun around as he heard her and smiled nervously. "Yes, of course, if you want to."

[glacial_queen]

"I would love to work through some of this...excess energy." She adamantly refused to think about other ways that could be worked through, busying herself by looking around the salle. "I've never been here before."

[future_sandworm]

I will not look at her...

If genetic memories could facepalm, quite a few of his certainly would.

"Ah, good. So, knife or sword?"

[glacial_queen]

"Knife," she said immediately. "It's what I know, so it will make for a better workout. And, this way, you'll know exactly what you have to deal with." She called in her hunting knife. "Shields or no shields? I mean, shields around our weapons, obviously..." she also put a shield around her hand. On the off-chance she forgot this was a practice bout, she didn't want to to panic and use her serpent's tooth on Leto.

[future_sandworm]

"I brought my own shields, if you wanted to try one," he said, relaxing a little. Switching the one he was wearing on created an almost invisible energy field around him. He picked up one of his knives - one he used for training, not the crysknife - and slowly approached Karla. "How do your shields work?"

[glacial_queen]

"They're walls of Craft, set at the same strength as my Jewel," she said, flickering the one she had into visibility. It was like a glove made of scintillating Sapphire light. "It can deflect and absorb both physical and magical attacks, though keeping them up and repairing them of damage takes energy. Yours?"

[future_sandworm]

He listened, trying to grasp what she explained, while his eyes were more on her hands than what she was trying to explain. She had really exquisite hands...

He drew a breath. "A Holtzman generator produces an energy field. You adjust the setting for which velocities that should be allowed to pass through. Blocking everything out would cause a person to suffocate within his shield."

He met Karla's eyes. "There is a danger though. The energy beam of a lasgun would create a small nuclear explosion, either centering around the person firing the gun or the one carrying the shield. I am not sure if the interaction with magical energy attacks would cause a similar effect."

[glacial_queen]

"I...can't afford to take down this shield," Karla said, holding up her hand. "At least, not yet. Not until I know that I won't...react poorly to the training. I can't take that risk, not with your life. I can shield you though, or your weapon. And we can save your shields till later."

[future_sandworm]

He paused. That meant he had to trust her. "I don't think the your shields will interact with mine," he replied. "I only mentioned it for explanation and caution, should you want to use them."

He didn't believe Karla had any intention to hurt him, but she did seem to have poor control over some of her reactions. He smiled a little at her, perhaps a little longer than he had intended.

"Ready?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Mister Durden had given Triela a homework assignment and in the... weirdness of the week she hadn't gotten around to it yet. Of course when she stepped into the salle and saw who was there...

Triela stood frozen in the doorway, trying to figure out what the proper response was in a situation like this one.

[future_sandworm]

Leto quickly debated with himself how to react. Would she try to attack him? He forced his muscles to relax, while being prepared for something to happen.

He couldn't help it, those pigtails were adorable.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

The problem was that there was a part of her, a very small part, that sort of wanted him to kiss her again. To try again to figure out what that odd taste on his lips was. And that's the part that really upset her.

"I'll come back later," she said simply. But she couldn't quite bring herself to turn and walk out yet.

[future_sandworm]

Leto looked up at her, straightening. "I won't interfere with your practise," he said, voice tense.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Even if you're drugged?" Her tone was sharp, pointed. She should have just turned and walked out on that. But she didn't.

[future_sandworm]

Looking away, he replied: "I won't come near enough for that to be an issue." One of his knives hit a dummy.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"That's true."

Triela took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Which was a mistake because then there was nothing to distract her from the memory of yesterday. She managed to force her eyes open again and took another deep breath.

"Because I'm leaving."

She didn't leave.

[future_sandworm]

He looked at Triela again. "You keep saying that." With the speed of the Weirding Way, he spun around and hurled another knife at the dummy, hitting its chest.

Why was he showing off in front of her?

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

The sudden movement actually made her tense up, deeply-trained reflexes kicking in, her hand flashing under her jacket to the empty shoulder holster hanging there. It was a good thing she wasn't carrying because in her current state of distraction she wasn't sure she wouldn't have actually taken a shot.

But it was enough to get her head out of the weird place it had been. And while there was a part of her that was impressed with the move, it was a highly professional part.

She forced her hands down to her sides and walked out.

[future_sandworm]

Leto watched her leave, relieved. He should not be thinking about that kiss the previous day.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah walked into the salle, studiously not looking at anyone there, and headed straight for the staffs. Since there was no way on Earth she was practicing with Arthur this afternoon. She'd already sent him a text message (http://bitch-prince.livejournal.com/644.html?thread=667268#t667268) to that effect.

Then she turned around.

Oh. Crap.

[future_sandworm]

Leto looked over his shoulder, and when he saw who it was he froze, eyes widening.

"Dinah..."

He had finished the training session with Karla. He could.... escape.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah closed her eyes fast, hands gripping the staff, then realized how bad an idea that was. "I can leave," she offered, opening her eyes so she could see to put the staff back. Umph. Guh. No no no damnit Leto, wear a shirt! Why hadn't she remembered that he and Karla were practicing this afternoon? Why?!

[future_sandworm]

"No," he said quickly. "I was anyway about to leave." Looking away, he returned the practise sword and hurried out of the room.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah waited until he was definitely, totally, not coming back, then let the staff thunk onto the floor, and leaned her head against it, breathing out a breath of relief. And only a tiny, tiny bit of disappointment. Stupid hormones.

Then she went into her staff practice drill, very glad the impulse to follow him had already passed.